What is Koryu Uchinadi?

Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu [古流沖縄手拳法術] 

Generally speaking, there are three classifications of Japanese fighting arts; Bugei [武芸], Bujutsu [武術] and Budō [武道], which fall under two separate categories; either Classical/Koryu [古流] or Modern/Gendai [現代]. Bugei [武芸] and Bujutsu [武術] are deemed to represent classical feudal traditions while the term, Budō [武道], generally refers to those modern disciplines, developed after Japan’s feudal period. As a rule, classical traditions, described as Koryu [古流] arts, represent the warrior disciplines developed prior to the beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, where as the modern disciplines, are defined as Gendai [現代] represent those developed during and/or after the Meiji Period.

Karate-do [空手道] a modern fighting art, and not part of Japan’s feudal combative heritage. It is, therefore, not considered classical and subsequently categorised as, Gendai Budō [現代武道], meaning, “Modern Fighting Art.” Another term, also used to describe the Japanese fighting arts, developed/established after the Meiji Restoration, is Shin Budō [新武道], meaning “New Fighting Art.” There’s also a third term, Sogō Budō [総合武道], meaning “Composite” or “Comprehensive” Fighting Art, which is often used when various disciplines [old/new] are integrated together under a single banner.

Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu is most certainly a Gendai Budo, however, it can also be described as Shin Budō, too. As the nature of its curriculum is so diverse; i.e. collectively bringing together all the old-school empty-handed practices once embraced during Okinawa’s old Ryukyu Kingdom period [Tegumi/手組, Torite/擒拿, Ti’gwa/手小, Kata/型/形], we prefer to described ourselves as, Sogō Budō for obvious reasons.